Volcanic ash not deterring people from travel entirely

SINGAPORE (Reuters Life!) - Is volcanic ash from Iceland deterring people from making travel plans to Europe? Not entirely, according to a new survey by travel website airfarewatchdog.com.

A fresh cloud of ash rises from the volcano under the Eyjafjallajokull glacier in Iceland May 16, 2010. REUTERS/Ingolfur Juliusson

The poll of over 1,500 flyers showed 39 percent still plan to travel and the Iceland volcanic eruptions have had no effect on their plans.

Fifty-four percent said they had no plans to travel to Europe anyway and 9 percent said the eruptions had forced them to change their minds.

“So in spite of the threat of potentially more eruptions and disruptions, a surprisingly low percentage of flyers are changing their plans,” the website said in a statement.

“And since the volcano is now a ‘known hazard’, it looks like people are willing to take the risk of continuing with their plans even though travel insurance wouldn’t cover changes to itineraries if an eruption occurs during a planned trip that forces additional nights stay.”

Much of Europe’s airspace was closed for six days in mid-April over fears that ash from an Icelandic volcano would cause aircraft to crash.